Dump-wagon.



No. 853,275. PATENTBD MAY 14, 1907.

' W. A. UNDERHILL.

DUMP WAGON.

APBLIUATION FILED 001211, I1906.

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nas NaRRrs PETERs co., WASHINGTON, n. cA

PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

` W. A. UNDBRHILL.

DUMP- WAGON. APPLIOATION FILED ooT.1'1, 190e.'

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WALTER A. UNDERHILL, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

DUMP-WAGON.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed October l1, 1906. Serial No. 338,506.

Be it known that I, WALTER A. UNDER- HILL, of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, have invented 'new and useful Improvements in Dump-Wagons, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in dump wagons, in which a dump box is provided with laterally swinging bottom doors meeting at substantially the longitudinal center of the box and having overlapping plates or flanges at their meeting edges to prevent leakage ofthe contents of the box therethrough.

In this class of Wagons the door operating chains or cables extend under the meeting edges of the doors from front to rear and are attached at their front ends to a suitable winding drum at the front end of the box while their rear ends are attached to a suitable anchorage at the rear end of the box above the doors so that when the drum is rotated in one direction the cables operate to close the door, and when the drum is released, the gravity of the doors and load operated upon the cables to unwind them from the drum. These chains, almost invariably stretch or Wear unequally, thereby causing one to become longer or shorter than the other, which necessitates the use of an equalizing or compensating mechanism to assure perfect closing of both doors.

When the over-lapping plates or flanges are used at the meeting edges of the doors, it becomes necessary to provide means for closing one of the doors slightly in advance of the other to prevent the meeting edges of the plates or anges from abutting one against Athe other during the closing operation.

My object, therefore, is to provide a simple, practical and ellicient mechanism which will not only compensate for any limited inequality in the length of the door-operating cables so as to cause both doors to close positively and nearly simultaneously but also to utilizevthe same mechanism for causing one door to close slightly in advance of the other, thereby assuring the lapping of one meeting plate upon the other Without liability of abutting at their meeting edges during the closing operation, which, of course, would interfere with the perfect closing of the doors.

Other obj ects and uses relating to the spetaken on line 3-3, Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a rear f elevation of the equalizing device seen in Fig. 3 except that it is shown in different position. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken respectively on lines 5-5, Fig. 4, and 6-6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a rear elevation partly in section of a modified form of equalizer and chain adjuster.

The dump box as -1* is provided With laterally swinging bottom doors *2` and -2- which are hinged to the sides and meet at substantially the longitudinal center of the box, the meeting edges of said doors being provided with over-lapping flanges or plates `3` and -3", extending lengthwise the full length of the door to prevent leakage of the contents of the box between the meeting edges of the doors.

Suitable cables as chains -4- and 4- 'are passed under the meeting edges of the doors, the front ends of said chains being attached to and adapted to be wound upon a drum -5 at the front end of the box some distance above the doors, while the rear ends of the cables are, in this instance, connected to each other and anchored to a suitable equalizing mechanism on the rear end of the box also some distance above the meeting edges of the doors. anism may-also be termed an automatic cable adjuster and, in this instance, consists of two oscillatory elements +7- and -8-, both of which are hinged upon the same axis as a pivotal stud, or tubular shaft -9- which is located in the vertical plane of the meeting edges of the doors.

The rocking element 7` is hinged at its upper end upon the stud 9 'and its lower end is adapted to swing laterally with reference to the box and is provided withv a ooncentric elongated slot -10- and a laterally projecting arm -ll`- The slot l0-is adapted to receive a stop pin 12- which is secured to the rear end of This equalizing mech- IOO the box directly above the rear end of the meeting edges of the doors and below the j pivotal stud -9- to limit the swinging action of the rocking element -7-.

The laterally projecting arm dl 1 is provided with avertical opening 13 through which one of the cables, as the cable -4- is passed, su'l'licient clearance being left in said opening to permit the easy action olil the cable therethrough and at the same time the side of the opening #13- confines the cable within the arm -11,- so that when the doors are opened causing the cables to spread apart, the cable -4- will operateagainst the outer side of the opening 13- to swing the rocking member -7- in the same direction uponits pivotal stud -9- until limited by the engagement of the opposite end of the slot l0 with the limiting stop --l2.

rlhe upper end of the rocking member -7- is, in this instance, bifurcated to receive the lower end of the upper rocking element -8- which is pivoted upon the stud -9- and has an independent rocking movement relatively to the rocking member--7--.

The lower side of the recess, as -14--, formed by bifurcating the upper end of the member n-7-- is provided with substantially liat laterally extending lbearing face or abutment -15- some distance below the pivotal stud -9-, and the lower end of the rocking member -,-S- is formed with opposite stop faces -16- and 16, which are movable alternately into and out of engagement with the abutting -face -15-, thereby limiting the rocking action of the member 8- relatively to the member -7-. This rocking element -8- extends some distance above its pivotal stud 9e and its upper end is provided with a transverse groove -17- and suitable stop shoulders -1S for receiving one of the links at the united ends ci the chains -4- and -Ll and lockj ing such chains and rocking member -8- against relative movement one upon the other except when it is desired to adjust the chains upon said member, in which case the interlocking link may be lifted out of the groove -l 5 and another link of the chains inserted therein to give the desired adjustment.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 5 that the equalizing mechanism, consisting of the rocking members 7 and --8g are symmetrica'l in side elevation and are, therefore, reversible 'upon the pivotal stud 9 to permit the arm be engaged with either cable of the door which is to be closed 'first j ln this instance, the door -2- is to be closed slightly in advance oi the door #2L- and, therefore, its flange or lapping plate -3- is arranged to lap upon the plate #3- of the door -2, and therefore, the arm -11- o'l" the member --7- to j I 'face *i6- throwing 1lof the rocking member 7- is arranged to engage with the cable -4- which operates the door F2.

When the doors are closed as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 with the flange -Sd of the door i2- lapping upon thev upper face of the flange --3d of the door-2-, the chains -4- and -4- tend to draw together', the chain Aloperating upon the arm -11- below the pivot --9d to rock the member -7- toward the chain #lyuntil limited by the engagement of the right hand end of the slot -l0 pin -1 2-.

It is now clear that the rocking member 7F is positively held in this position by the chain -4- while the doorsare closed and constitutes the means by which one door,

with the stop as the door -2-, is caused to close in advance of the other door, as .the door -2- which will be made more apparent in the following description.

The rocking member 8 constitutes what may be termed the e ualizing or compensating element, that is, t echains are adjusted upon this element so as to take up the lagging door as -2 after the other door -2- has been closed thereby assuring a positive closing of both doors, the chains being adjusted upon the member -8- so that the latter stands in substantially vertical position as shown in Fig. 3 when the doors are closed, thereby bringing the stop face -l-f into engagement with the abutting face -15- at the side of a vertical line drawn through the axes of the stud -9- -and stop pin -1 2 nearest the laterally projecting arm -11-, while the other stop face --lt-- is rocked upwardly in the oppovsite direction away from the abutting face -15-. ln this closed position of the doors, it will be observed that the chain -4- is drawing laterally to the lett against arm -11 tending to hold the rocking member -7- in the position shown in Fig. 3 and also exerts a pull to the right upon the upper end of the rocking element -8- tending to hold the stop -ltS-in engagement with the abutment -15.

Now upon the release of the winding drum -5-, which releases the cables '4- and -4- llowing the doors -2- and --2- to open, the lower sides of the chains are drawn laterally or spread apart, thereby causing the chain sell-- upon the lower end of the rocking member -7- until the latter is limited by engagement of the left hand end ofthe slot -10- with the stop pin -12-. This rocking action of the member .-7- iro'm left to right transmits lsimilar rocking action of the member S-V by reason of the engagement of the abutment rl5- with the stop the upper end oi the rocking member -8- to the left as shown in to exert a lateral pull TIO .to close the lagging Fig. 4, and as soon as said rocking member *8* is thrown beyond a vertical line passed through its swinging axis *9* the draft of the cables thereon causes itto rock still farther to the left until limited by the engagement of the stop face --16* with the abutment *15* as best seen in Fig. 4. I These combined rocking actions of the members *7* and *8* when the doors are opened allows the chain *4* and its door *2'* to descend a limited distance while the opposite chain *4* and its door *2* are correspondingly elevated. Thesefparts just described remain in this position as long as the doors are open and in view of the fact that the door *2* is .already slightly elevated in advance of the door *2*, it is ev-ident that during the operation of closing the doors by winding the cables `upon the drum *5*, the door *2* will close slightly in advance of the'door *2'* but as soon as the door *2* is brought to its closed position the continued winding of the cables causes the cable *4* to draw the upper end of the rocking member *8* upwardly to the right toward an upright position until the stop face *16* is again brought into engagement with the abutment *15* thereby transmitting similar rocking motion to the member *7* to return the latter to its starting position until limited by the stop *12*. During this restoration of the rocking members *7* and *8* to their starting positions, the chain *-4* is elevated and speedily and positively closes its door The principal feature of my invention, therefore resides in the association of two coacting rocking'elements one of which causes one of the doors to close slightly in advance of the other while the other element operates door and it is evident that although I have shown both elements as pivoted upon the same axis, they may be pivoted upon different axes so long as one element is actuated by the other element.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a rocking member *7* which is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, except that it is provided with an upwardly extending integral arm *7 to which is centrally pivoted a grooved segment *8'* for receiving the united ends of the chains *-4* and *4/*. The action of this rocking member *7* is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 3 and 4 but, in this instance, the equalizing member *8* is pivoted at *9* upon a separate axis some distance above the pivot *9* of the member *7* and it is clear th at when the chains spread apart during the opening of the door the chain *4* operating against the outer side of the slot *143* rocks vthe lower part of the member *7* to the right and the upper part to the left, thereby letting down upon the chain *4* 1 and take up the chain *4*.' This causes the door *2* to be slightly elevated or advanced nearer to its closed position than the door *2* so that during the operation of closing the doors, the door *2* will be closed slightly in advance of the door *2* and as soon as the door *2* is positively closed, the continued winding of the cables causes the equalizing member *8'* to take up the lag ofthe other door*2*thus causing a positive closing of both doors, one in advance of the other.

What I claim is:

l. An adjusting and equalizing mechanism for the laterally swinging bottom doors of a dump wagon comprising opposite chains passed under the doors and winding mech anism therefor, and two oscillatory elements pivoted between the rear ends of the chains, one of said elements being attached to both chains and the other element being attached to one chain only.

2. In combination with swinging bottom doors of a dump wagon and their operating chains extending under the meeting edges of the doors, arock member pivoted between the rear ends of the chains and engaged with one of the chains below its pivot, and a second rocking member pivoted between the chains and engaging both chains above its pivot.

3..In combination with the laterally swinging bottom doors of a dumpvwagon and their operating chains passing under the lmeeting edges of the doors, a rocking member pivoted between the chains and provided with a laterally'extending arm engaging one of the chainsbelow the pivot, a second rock arm pivoted between the chains and engaging both chains above its pivot. n

4. In combination with the swing bottom doors of a dump wagon and chains passing under the doors, means for winding the chains, a rocking member pivoted between the rear ends of the chains and provided with a laterally extending arm engaging one of the chains at one side of the pivot whereby when the chains are spread during the opening of the door, said member is rocked laterally by 'the chain engaged therewith, and means engaged with both chains and brought into action by the rocking movement of said rocking member to hold the latter in its adjusted position while the doors are opened. A

5. In a dump wagon the combination of a box having laterally swinging bottom doors, a winding drum and chains connected thereto and passed under the meeting edges of the doors, a rocking member pivoted to the box and provided with an opening at one side of its pivot through which one of the chains is passed., and a second rocking member pivoted on the iirst named rocking member and to which both chains are connected.

6. In a dump wagon the combination of a the laterally TOO IZO

box having laterally swinging bottom doors and cables passed under the meeting edges of the doors, a Winding drum Connected to the a rocking member pivoted to the rear end of the box and provided with a laterally pro gaged by one of the cables, a seoon front end of the cables,

jeoting arm end rocking one or the chains being engaged With the rst on the irst named rocking member, and provided With-a Chain engaging face above the pivot of said rst'named rocking member, cables passed under the meeting edges of the doors and having their Jront ends engaging theu per face of the second rocking member,

member pivoted to the 'first named rocking named rocking member at one side of its member and connected to the rear ends of both cables, and alimiting stop for the first l named rocking member.

7. In a dump Wagon, the combination of a box having laterally swing ing bottom doors,

pivot.

In Witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of October 1906.

WALTER A. UNDERHILL.

a drum mounted on the front end of the box, Witnesses: a rocking member pivoted to the rear end of H. E. CHASE, the box, a second rocking member mounted M. M. Nor'r. 

